The present invention relates to inspection of parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to optical inspection of parts that are formed from parallel channels in a honeycomb-like structure. One example of such a part is an automotive catalytic converter part.
Catalytic converters are blocks of parallel tubes or channels made by extrusion. Optical techniques have been used in the past to identify blockages in these tubes. For example, Image Labs International, formerly known as Vision 1, sold the Vision Pluggage Inspection System. Also, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0174320 discloses a piercing inspection apparatus that inspects the piercing of a honeycomb structure.
However, despite these advances, problems remain. In particular, it should be realized that catalytic converters are blocks of parallel tubes or channels made by extrusion. These extrusions are generally cut-off to form the blocks. It is important for the end cut to be perpendicular to the tubes for packaging and airflow reasons. Currently, the inspection of the end cuts of the catalytic converters is a purely mechanical process. Fixtures are used to align the catalytic converters to determine if the ends of the parts are perpendicular with the parallel channels. There is no reliable way to quickly or optically measure the perpendicularity of the end cut relative to the tubes.
Therefore, it is a primary object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to improve upon the state of the art.
It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a method and system for inspection of structures formed from parallel tubes.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a method and system for determining the perpendicularity of an end surface of a series of parallel channels or tubes or the alignment of the group of parallel channels or tubes.
It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a method and system for optically measuring the perpendicularity of the end cut of a series of parallel channels or tubes.
A still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a method and system for determining the perpendicularity of the end cut of a series of parallel channels or tubes that is reliable.
These and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow.